Our Values

Charm

Connection

Precision

Preservation

Capture authenticity with accurate research

Our vision is to set the stage and open possibilities for every customer.

About Taken Barstools

When Luke found a barstool business for sale, it seemed like a good fit. If you want one authentic antique bolt down barstool, it’s not hard to do. But it you want more than one? Good luck. This is why I felt preserving the authenticity of the barstools of the past and making them accessible to fine restaurants and bars was important.

“Look at the photos of old soda fountains and saloons – chances are you’ll see the same barstools.”

Currently, Taken Barstools offers two styles of barstools – Seattle Classic and Ballard Roman. “Look at the photos of old soda fountains and saloons – chances are you’ll see the same barstools.” We going to add new styles as we go forward. We’ve collected some amazing examples of Victorian and Deco styled barstools. The new technologies available now means we’ll be able to create castings of whatever our clients want.”

I believe in preserving the local nostalgia that remains accessible to everyone.

About Luke

Owner, Crafter

About Luke

Charles “Luke” Lukey comes from a family of who preserve and restore time.

“My first job was bailing water out of rental boats at the Thunderbird Boathouse in Port Angeles, Washington. They had 30 boats for fishermen to rent out by the day. Between those leaky boats and the constant rain, I was never lacking for work.”

Though nearly all the old boats now had outboard motors, there was a shed full of obsolete Briggs & Stratton engines and shelves full of brand new spare parts. “They’d given up on those old inboard units back in the fifties. When I wasn’t bailing out boats I was restoring those old engines.”

“We’re surrounded by the past, we might as well enjoy it.” Luke

It was the houses and their history that held Luke’s attention.

Since then “Luke” has owned and restored all kinds of old things. “1909 house, any number of Volkswagens, light fixtures, fans, wiring, furniture…”

But it was the houses and their history that held his attention. “When I was going to college I worked as a plastering contractor in Seattle. We rebuilt the lath and plaster in several houses on Queen Anne Hill. Just about the time we thought we were done restoring a house, the neighbors would come over, see the work we’d done and hire us to do their house next.”

“Some of the Victorian touches in those houses were just incredible. Stained glass windows, spiral staircases, plaster rosettes in the ceiling, cast iron fireplace surrounds – just amazing.”

“We’re continually recasting the past. With our products, we give you a little more of the past to hold onto.” Luke

After 9/11, I got into consulting and training people on Toyota Production techniques all over the world. Germany, Hungary, China all over the United States.

During his years in manufacturing, he gained an appreciation for Toyota Production System methods. “When I was at Genie Industries in Redmond, I was the link between the people in the Powder Coating department and the Shingijitsu consultants from Japan. We went from killing ourselves to make 8 units a day to building 24 units a day and knocking off early. Best job I ever had.”

“I became that guy you see at the airport – lives out of his suitcase and goes where the emails tell him to go. Yeah, it’s about as fulfilling as it looks.”

Origin Story: Sass Stools

For many years Louis “Stu” Stuve and his wife Sharon owned a sporting goods store in Springfield, Oregon. In 1988, they sold the business and moved to Florence, Oregon. They’d planned to live in Florence while building a house on nearby Mercer Lake.

In the rental house, they found four old chrome soda fountain stools. The landlord said they were from a pharmacy in Springfield and they could have them if they wanted them.

Stu stripped the pedestals down to bare metal and had them re-chromed. Guests commented on how nicely they’d turned out. Stu and Sharon decided retirement was over rated and created Sass Stools. “Sass” is a combination of their names, Stu and Sharon.

Since 1991 Sass Stools branched into other styles of bolt down stools, eventually settling on the Classic, Roman, and Diner styles. Sass Stools have proven especially popular in fast casual dining restaurants.

In 2016 Stu and Sharon decided to retire – for good this time. Sass Stools was sold to Taken Barstools of Seattle Washington.

Want to work together?

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